A Close Encounter with UFO

A nameless flying object, materializing anomaly in the sky has been tricking science and humanity for centuries. Known as alien spacecraft in modern popular culture, Unidentified flying object (UFO) is what they have been called. Because UFO sightings have occurred throughout recorded history, the governments of the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Japan, France, Spain, and the Soviet Union investigated and created organizations devoted to the subject. 

Photograph of UFO, taken on July 31, 1952

 in New Jersey

Earth’s relation with UFOs seems a great deal of time. Unexplained aerial observations were recorded first by Chinese astronomers in 240 B.C. Such sightings were called supernatural portents, angels or religious omens then. Later on, some UFO researchers noticed similarities between several religious symbols in medieval paintings and UFO reports. 

In 1878, John Martin, a local farmer reported seeing a large, dark, circular object resembling a balloon flying at wonderful speed. In 1926, while traveling in the Tibet, Russian explorer Nicholas Roerich saw something big and shiny reflecting the sun, like a huge oval moving at great speed. Post World War II, the sky mystery began to bother humanity again with famous UFO sighting by Kenneth Arnold in 1947. Flying his private plane near Mount Rainier (USA), Kenneth reported nine brilliant objects flying across the face of the mountain. 

Arnold’s sighting was followed by hundreds of other reported sightings in the next few weeks, not only in the US, but in other countries as well. Following the large surge in sightings in July 1947, US Army Air Force began a formal investigation and three weeks later situation found not fully imaginary as something was really flying around. 

This sky mystery continued to cause panic. In 1957 unidentified objects flying very high over the UK were tracked by radar operators at speeds beyond the capability of any known craft. The United Kingdom banned the reporting of an alleged UFO incident, fearing that it could create mass panic. In December 1980, US military workforce witnessed UFOs over three nights in the forest, during a base camp. Commander, Col. Charles Halt made an audio recording and wrote an official memorandum summarizing the incident.

The official French government agencies scientifically investigated about 6000 cases and found only 13.5 % rational explanation. A report on UFO noted that several aircraft have been destroyed and many pilots have been killed while chasing UFOs. Although the majority of UFO observations are claimed to be misidentified objects like aircraft, balloons, nacreous clouds, or astronomical objects, however, the majority of reported sightings remain unexplained and unidentified in the strictest sense. Once the mystery of UFO is solved, only then the existence of aliens can be discovered or denied.